Just Crazy
by xAzusax
Summary: 26 year-old English teacher Kise Ryouta has been at odds with a particular tall, dark and bratty student Aomine Daiki since his first day as at Teiko Academy. Yet when he discovers a side of the teen that amazes him to no end, the blonde quickly realizes that there is more to the blue-haired boy than meets the eye. Eventual Aokise
1. Chapter 1

**_Warning:_**_ Contains Male x Male Relationships_

**_OOC warning (The characters are being portrayed in an alternate reality and therefore will exhibit striking differences in personalities from the existing manga/anime. As such, if you are bothered by that, don't say I didn't warn you.)_**

**_Rating: M (for later chapters. In the beginning, chapters are rated T)_**

* * *

_Founded nearly a century ago and having now risen to become one of the most prestigious elevator schools in Tokyo, Teiko Academy sports an expansive school yard, nationally-renowned staff and the highest grade facilities nation-wide. Featured in countless magazines and household name commercials, the silver-gated school is forever painted in the minds of the numerous Japanese citizens as a gateway to greatness under its cherry blossom scattered pathway. Since the day that each child comes into being, they aspire to somehow gain admittance into the sacred grounds, applying every year from kindergarten until university, hopeful to one day be accepted. Entrance to this fantastical institute is regarded as a ticket to the world of the glamorous in which the portraits of successful and world-changing alumni adorn the elegant walls – walls of which one would hope to be acknowledged upon after graduation. Acceptance – rare, tuition – ridiculous, yet that has never stumped the ever growing desires of the masses to apply to Teiko. As such, current students have always been sorts of scouted geniuses. Exceptions being, however, were spoiled scions of wealthy and well-known conglomerate owners or celebrities that chose to attend Teiko over private schools, only admitted due to a generous amount of donations towards the school._**_  
_**

_Otherwise, without such an exception, _the blonde hair English teacher scowled as he felt the familiar tremble of irritation pulse through his right hand, _We would not have such troublesome brats like him._

Suppressing the gnawing frustration, the blonde man bit his rose-coloured lip and tried to maintain his usual cheery disposition, pretending that the fragile piece of white chalk did not have several cracks all over it. As he stood at the front of the vast classroom, he tried to inhale, slow and steady to void all anger. Returning his now cooler gaze towards the source of his annoyance, the man rested his eyes on the boy slumped over his desk, deep in slumber.

"Aomine-kun?" the teacher, Kise Ryouta, announced in his best reprimanding, yet calm voice possible.

When the tanned student did not even stir, Kise tried again, raising his voice slightly, but not as far as to have called it a shout.

Again, not a single movement came from the dreaming boy named Aomine.

Feeling a twitch of irritation, the blonde felt the thin stick in his hand snap smoothly into two, dust glittering down his hands as the crumbs fell with light noise on the tiled floor. Fake smile plastered over a seething face, the blonde walked towards the desk of the lone dreamer as the other students watched with a mix of fascination, amusement and curiosity. It wasn't a usual occurrence for a student to causing the teacher so much grief, for this was Teiko Academy after all, a school built by the elite, for the elite.

Halting just in front of the blue-haired boy, Kise leaned forward slightly and growled into the tanned ear, first quietly, "Ao~mi~ne~kun~" before slamming his hands down on the hand-crafted ebony desk, "Wake up!"

To the blonde's pleasure, he finally received a sort of reaction as the student beforehand began to awake, mumbling inaudibly. Slowly, a heavy lid opened, showcasing an azure orb, a shade of deep blue not unlike the depths of an ocean.

"…Kise…? Th' hell did you wake me up for…." The boy grunted, voice still hoarse from sleep.

Brows twitching, the English teacher tried to keep his nerves calm as he replied patiently, "I've told you to call me Kise_-sensei_, many times before, Aomine_-kun_, and for the matter, we are in the middle of _class_."

Still half-asleep, Aomine only shrugged before sluggishly getting up. Before Kise could stop him, he started to lug his large body towards the door in his rumpled clothes.

With an exasperated shout, the blonde sucked on his inner cheek in frustration. Crossing his arms over his chest, he asked in a low voice, "Where do you think you're going, young man?"

"Obviously, to piss," Aomine waved a hand towards the flushed teacher while keeping the other tucked lazily in his front pant's pocket, not bothering to turn around, not seeming to care. As he turned though, the blonde could have sworn that the impudent brat had been smirking. Feeling his face flush, he gritted his teeth as silence filled the room while the students decided how to feel about this situation.

Among the class of twenty six, some were still surprised that the boy named Aomine Daiki had such guts to act so undisciplined towards their instructor while others shook their head as they had already gotten used to it as they had the boy in their other classes as well. There were even a select few who entertained thoughts of mimicking him. All of the students, however, were fervently curious at what their teacher would do as he stood frozen in his spot, expression ambiguous. Holding their breaths, twenty-five (as the troublemaker had gone 'to piss' already) pairs of eyes burned holes into Kise as he let out a breathy sigh.

Turning slowly to face his class, the students recoiled, expecting a lash of anger to displace the normally cheery man. What they had seen however, was slightly more frightening as he suddenly beamed towards them with his million-dollar smile. With a chirpy voice, as if nothing was wrong – as if the scene just a minute prior had not occurred, the English teacher addressed the bewildered children kindly.

"All right class! Where were we? Ah, page 38 in your textbook. Will someone volunteer to begin reading the passage on the top of the page?"

Stunned, no one reacted to the call for a reader. Seemingly oblivious to the student's thoughts, the English teacher spun around and half skipped, half walked towards his desk and randomly picked a number.

"Okay, Tachibana-kun, will you read?"

Sitting at the far left, the brunet named Tachibana was startled back into reality. He lifted his book tentatively and began to read with a hesitant voice.

In the back of the other students minds were not the translations to the text however, even if they knew that the questions would be coming. Instead, they were unnerved at the odd calmness emitting from the blonde as he scribbled notes onto his papers.

Unbeknownst to them, Kise hadn't been writing anything in relation to the boy's reading.

In all actuality, it was more along the lines of _stupidbratdumbganguroidioticbluehairednitwit…._

* * *

"…And then he never came back! After disrupting my class and humiliating me, he didn't even bother to show his face. How rude of him! Can you believe that, Midorimacchi? Can you?"

"Well, this is Aomine you are talking about," the bespectacled man sighed, "He's been trouble since the opening ceremony this year."

"It's still not fair," Kise pouted, upset that he hadn't any control over the teen, "He's not cute at all."

Chattering whilst grading in the pristine staff room of the high school division were the two questionably-haired colleagues. Stacks of paper were scattered alongside the cosmic marble tables, scratches of red marring the various tests and assignments. Pale cheek against the black top and hand diligently flying over an essay, the blonde pouted unhappily.

"How did he even get in," the blonde whined, red pen continuously dancing over test papers undisrupted by his other thoughts, "He barely shows for class, and when he does, he just sleeps! I've never gotten any assignments from him and he barely passes the tests… somehow…."

Midorima shook his head as his own hand hovered over a biology unit test, slightly annoyed that a student had gotten such an easy question wrong – it was a dead giveaway! – before responding, "Money perhaps – his parents must have donated a fair amount to be allowed in. To answer your speculation, it appears that he is friends with Momoi who allows him to study her notes. As such, he is able to pass."

_Momoi? _Kise pushed himself upright slightly, cocking his head to the side as he conjured a picture in his head. An attractive, at least for a kid, pink-haired girl came to mind. Rummaging through his vivid memory, the blonde recalled that once or twice, he'd accidentally walked into a confession. Other than that, his other impressions of her were that, as a student, Momoi was a bright and hard-working girl, and Kise enjoyed having her in his class. Out of all the students, he was the closest to her, almost budding a friendship towards the rose-eyed girl, although he was sure to keep the distinction of their student/teacher relationship clear at all times.

"I didn't know they were close," he mused, finding it hard to imagine a good girl like Momoi Satsuki with the blue-eyed delinquent. Mindlessly, he realized that the last two tests were the two supposed friends' respectively. Comparing the messy scrawls that were Aomine's penmanship to the neater printing of Momoi's, he noticed that the only answers the former had gotten right were written stylistically similarly to the pink-haired girl's own. Unsurprisingly though, the tanned student had gotten a sixty five percentage whilst his friend was in the high ninety percentile.

"I heard some students hypothesizing that they are dating. Momoi herself denied it vehemently though, stating that they are, quote unquote," – the emerald-eyed science teacher made quotation marks with his fingers, in an attempt to mimic the actions of the girl – "just friends."

"Is that so," Kise drawled, stretching his arms. He wasn't particularly interested in his students' love lives, so long as they didn't involve him. Unfortunately, a good proportion of the female population had fallen for his magnetic charm and model-like looks. However, he wasn't being conceited when he thought that it really was not his fault, nor the female students' own fault, that they had become infatuated with him.

At the age of 26, Kise Ryouta was the epitome of a bachelor at the prime of his life. Blessed with a solid yet lean stature, his tall height, honey eyes and golden locks, his physical attractiveness caused people to stare wherever he went. It was a simple fact – he was devastatingly beautiful, even a fellow man would have to admit it. Thus, it was not surprising that as soon as he had begun his teacher career here that the hormone-raging teenagers had all wanted to jump him as soon as he set foot on campus.

Despite the countless advances and confessions though, the English teacher was sure to never lead any of them on, rejecting them gently yet with an unmoving firmness. Being in a position of trust, Kise was careful to set the boundaries. Never was he going to fall for a student, or allow one close enough to.

"…se…"

"Kise?"

"Mm?" The mention of his name brought him back to reality.

Midorima raised an eyebrow and looked at him questioningly, "Are you all right?"

"Huh? Oh, maybe just spacing out," Kise laughed, sheepishly.

"Have you been sleeping enough?"

"Ah, I guess maybe not. I've been feeling a bit more tired lately."

His green-haired colleague gave him a contemplative stare, "Perhaps you should see Kuroko. In case you are coming down with a cold."

"Aw, Midorimacchi~ Are you worried about me?"

"Not in particular," Midorima shook his head, "It was only out of consideration for the other teachers, the students and myself. If you pass whatever virus you have onto others, it will only bring misfortune."

"Ah, it burn! Cold as always, Midorimacchi," Kise sang playfully, hopping out of his chair. Checking the clock on the wall, he noted that there was still around half an hour of lunch left. Palm on his stomach, the blonde realized that he hadn't even eaten yet as he was too busy complaining to Midorima and grading papers. Whistling, he decided to buy a sandwich and visit his old middle school friend.

* * *

"Kurokocchi!"

Juggling two daily specials in his hands along with two coffees, the blonde sauntered into the school infirmary, dismayed to find it empty. Settling their meal on the orderly desk, Kise frowned.

"He's never here," he muttered, eyes flitting towards the cots. Each one was empty, devoid of any students, much to his joy. While the blonde did enjoy his job, he also treasured the time with people his own age.

Startling the silence around him, a dry voice spoke up behind the man, "Who's never here?"

Spinning around suddenly, Kise jumped at the sight of a familiar baby blue-haired man in a white lab coat staring up at him with slight humour in those cerulean eyes. Frowning at the ghost of a smirk painted on the other's face, the blonde scowled as he realized that the smaller man (still) enjoyed making him squirm.

"H-how long have you been there?" Kise asked, coughing into his sleeve in an attempt to compose himself.

Kuroko smiled, shrugging off any implication the other's tone had of him planning to alarm him on purpose, "I've been here since the beginning."

Folding his arms, the taller man slumped down onto one of the lavish cots and watched as the smaller of the two made his way over to his desk – where Kise had settled their meals. Taking a seat on the grandiose black leather executive chair, the school doctor unwrapped his sandwich. Regarding the smaller man with his amber irises, Kise couldn't help but remark as to how little the other has changed. Kuroko Tetsuya, his former classmate and team mate, who, despite his small build and lack of athletic skill, had been a force to reckon with throughout their middle school and high school days. For whatever reason, the once dubbed Phantom Sixth Man was now the school doctor of his alma mater.

"Take a picture, Kise-kun, it will last longer," the man deadpanned, bringing the blonde out of his reminiscing and taking a small bite from his exploding lunch. As always, he spoke in his monotonous voice that betrayed very little emotion, but having known him for a long time, Kise picked up the slight teasing tone.

"Haha," the amber-eyed man rolled his eyes, unimpressed with the over-used and unoriginal line, "Kurokocchi, you're very funny."

"Don't sulk like that. It's creepy."

Used to the playful yet harsh-sounding words, the blonde mock pouted, "So mean, Kurokocchi~."

At that familiar saying, the blue-haired doctor could not stifle the chuckle that melodiously came out, filling the silent infirmary with his laughter. Glancing at the taller man with warm eyes, he mused with a faint smile, "You haven't changed."

"Neither have you," Kise shrugged, feeling a tug on his own lips from the sound of Kuroko's content voice, "Nor has this school."

"Members of the staff have changed, as have the students."

"Tell me about it, ne. I don't remember there ever being such troublesome kids in this place before they introduced the donation-policy a few years back."

"Are the students bullying you?"

Wrapping slender fingers around his own sandwich, the teacher laid lazily onto his stomach, kicking his shoes off, "Not _students_, but _student_."

"Oh?" This caught the doctor's attention, bringing a curious smile to his thin lips, "A single student is causing you, Kise-kun, a lot of stress?"

Groaning, Kise couldn't control himself as his complaints flowed through his mouth. He had countless stories in which the tanned student had brought him woes and a bottomless well of irritation. Obviously, in front of his class, the English teacher would never dare to express his frustration, but here, in the safe confines of the infirmary's privacy, the tap was opened.

With a patient demeanour, his former team mate watched him bemused as the blonde expressed his fervent displeasure of Aomine's antics. Unlike Midorima, however, Kuroko did not comment on any details in particular in the blonde's stories. As such, as the blonde utilized lively hand gestures and varying tones of voice, he looked rather silly in his heated, one-sided discussion. Kuroko only continued to watch while finishing his lunch with a serene expression, complemented by a bemused grin plastered on his face. Eventually, Kise ran out of past actions and behaviours to fume on.

"I don't know how much of a donation his parents made, but I am definitely sure that it was not nearly enough in exchange for letting him in," the English teacher huffed, blowing his bangs out of the way. Silently, he reminded himself that he needed to get a haircut soon.

"Donation?"

Chewing delicately, Kise waited until he swallowed his bite before answering his friend, "The donation policy? The only way a slacker like him could have been let in is if his parents are some rich folks. I mean, he doesn't have good grades, and he's not even in any clubs."

Puzzled, the blue-haired man opened his mouth as if to say something, before changing his mind. Gazing intently, Kise watched, curious about what his friend was going to say. Instead, Kuroko chastised him.

"I thought you learned not to judge people based on first impressions, Kise-kun."

As if offended, he puffed his cheeks out, "When have I done that?"

"Remember when you first joined the basketball team?" Kuroko chuckled fondly, "You were very against me being your instructor."

"Well… that…" a warm flush came over his pale cheeks, embarrassed to have his past mistakes brought up, "I changed my mind right away when I saw how awesome you were though…"

"But you still judged me based on your first impression… an impression that proved wrong," the smaller boy said, staring right through Kise.

At this, the other man did not retort back, clearly outplayed. Satisfied with the silent response, Kuroko turned his back to the blonde and spoke airily.

"If you give Aomine-kun a chance, he may surprise you."

Kise frowned as he got up to leave.

"Surprise? What are you – "

Just as Kuroko had turned away, a pair of students had wandered in, seeking some first aid. Clutching onto the remnants of his lunch, the blonde man slipped out quietly – albeit grudgingly – into the spacious corridor, scowling as his conversation was cut short. With nothing left to do, he decided to make his way towards his next class while admiring the stunning weather outside.

Sunlight shone through the immense glass windows, warming the blonde's creamy skin. Every other window was open, and the teacher inhaled slowly, closing his eyes as a gentle breeze wafted through. Basking in the warmth of the golden rays, he allowed the tension in his shoulders to relax as the aroma of spring floated through the air. It was a sweet, refreshing mix of the various scents of flora, tinged with just the right amount of each for a pleasant but not overpowering smell. Smiling he leaned on the sill of one particular unlocked colossal casement and rested his hands on his arms.

From here, the blonde had a full view of the orchard garden that decorated the back right corner of the school. During his school years, he had found comfort in the sight, whether or not he was actually in close proximity or watching from afar. He took pleasure in noting that with each spring season, the flowers were always in joyous bloom, and the fruits would bear soon after – this year included. Still collapsed against the wooden bench of a sill, he sat down on it, resting his head and leg on top while he closed his golden eyes.

_For everything that's changed, _the blonde thought with a slight bitter tone, _much has remained the same._

Such as the view from this window – his favourite spot since the seventh grade, or the set cliques of this school's students no matter the era, many constants that were in Kise's school life had not altered throughout the passage of time. While comforting to the blonde, it also brought out memories that he wanted to erase, such as the reverberations of the basketball. Ignoring the dull ache he felt in his leg, the teacher mindlessly forced himself to change his thoughts, focussing instead on Kuroko's words from earlier on.

_Just how could that tanned child surprise me, _he wondered, considering all the shortcomings of the boy. From what he has seen so far, the sapphire-eyed student was nothing but trouble, a failure in every aspect. Yet when he contemplated as to what he really knew of the teenager, Kise felt a knot of guilt as he realized that he had not once tried to speak heart-to-heart with the tanned student. As a teacher, he should have tried harder to understand Aomine, and find his strengths, rather than pick on his faults. Perhaps the boy had circumstances that didn't allow for his talents to shine through. For all he knew, Aomine could secretly be a famed pianist, or painter, or maybe he was genius author under a penname.

Unfortunately, as Kise imagined the boy doing different things, he could not help but let out a light chuckle. None of the images he conjured seemed right. If anything, the only area of which the tanned student would look in place in was with sports. Standing at over six feet tall and showcasing a muscular body, Kise could easily see the boy in swimming, hockey, tennis or maybe even ba –

As if someone had just cut the thin thread that was his train of thought, the blonde froze as the dull thud grew louder, seemingly coming into sync with his heart. The steady beat of rubber hitting the asphalt lulled him into a sort of trance, causing his eyes to flicker open. Dazed, he checked the silver watch on his left wrist, noting that there were only minutes before class was to commence. At this time a day, certainly no one, rather, no Teiko student should be playing basketball. Typically, they would all be seated in class like the exceptional students they are.

Yet, apparently, someone was.

Wandering like a possessed doll, the blonde's legs moved automatically towards the source, shivering as the sound grew louder. Soon, the man stopped, and leaned out an open window further down the same corridor as the one of his preferred spot. Amber eyes glanced around the courtyard, darting from one end to the other, until finally landing on the lone figure on the basketball court. With taut muscles, the player skirted around, performing a wide array of basketball techniques.

He couldn't take his eyes off of him.

It was the first time Kise had ever thought that something was this beautiful – that _someone_ could be this beautiful.

It was the first time that Kise had thought this way about _anyone_, really.

It is only fair to also state that it was the first time Kise had thought this way about _Aomine Daiki _no less.

With wide, awed eyes, the blonde could only watched gaped mouth as the teenager scored the ball in, in virtually every position and form possible. An absolutely unique style of play – formless, breathtaking, and beautiful; that summed up Kise's impression of Aomine's game. Daring himself to look down, his sun-like eyes pulsed in excitement as he realized that his hands were trembling with anticipation. Never, has he seen a talent like this in a long time.

Taking in a deep breath, the blonde leaned out the windows and shouted with cupped hands unhesitatingly, "Aominecchi!"

His cheerful voice cut through the courtyard, bringing the shadow on the court to a startled halt. Wary, the figure, palming the basketball with his large, tanned hands glanced around, until finally realizing that the call had come from Kise.

Confused, Aomine gave him a strange look, clearly not sure whether or not he should be reacting to the blonde's strange new nickname for him.

Unrelenting, Kise positioned himself so that he could yell even louder, "Aominecchi, join the basketball team!"

Regaining his senses, the tanned boy gave the blonde a glare. Cupping his own hands, he shouted back at the English teacher with a snarl, "No fucking way."

With that, he smoothly grabbed the basketball and stalked towards the school entrance that was as far away from Kise as possible. Watching as the boy's back shrank in the distance, the man tried to keep the butterflies in his stomach under control. Golden eyes gleaming, he bit his lips to try and contain his smile.

"Ahh, so mean," Kise said, but without a single trace of hurt. Grinning mischievously, not unlike a child who had just received a new toy, the blonde thought back to Kuroko's hinting.

_So this is what you meant by 'surprise me', _he thought.

Laughing silently to himself, he gave one last glance at the near ant-like boy in the distance before turning around to walk tranquilly down the hall. Humming happily, the blonde mentally vowed that no matter what, he'd get the boy on his basketball team.

* * *

A/N: Ahh hi. I was reading through prompts and well, suddenly felt like writing a teacher/student fic ;P I put on an OOC warning because well, it's rather hard to write this fic without some. Especially because Kise will have to be a responsible adult and that the circumstances around the characters are highly different than in the manga. Regardless, I hope you all enjoy this for what it is. Thanks for reading and please review as always *hugs*


	2. Chapter 2

"Hey, Aominecc – "

"No."

"I haven't said any – "

"No."

"Just listen t – "

"Go away."

"Come on, join the bask – "

"Oh my god, just shut the fuck up!"

With eyes like stormy seas, the tanned boy turned around, snapping at the persistent English teacher. For days since he had made the mistake of being discovered playing a bit of ball, the blonde had tailed Aomine like a pest of a golden retriever. Constantly, Kise had badgered him into joining Teiko's high school division basketball team. It had started off mild – just in the classroom. However when the blue-haired student decided that he would skip class, the blonde had made the decision to bring his incessant recruiting to wherever he could find the boy. The worst part was that it no longer consisted of only the older man's words.

For example, this situation before the tanned student now.

Seething with anger, Aomine forced himself to take in the incredulous display before him. Crowding the entire hallway were countless female students of varying grades – all dressed in flimsy cheerleading uniforms. Even while annoyed, the boy could not help but drool slightly at the harem before him. In this situation, you'd think that the he, being a hormone-raging teenager would be grateful and absolutely ecstatic to have a myriad number of girls (especially when a good fraction of them were rather… well-endowed) cheering his name, but happiness was far from his mind. For in the centre of all of this, holding an impossibly large amount of floating basketball shaped balloons, was the last person Aomine had wanted to see.

Smiling his usual model smile was Kise, and the teen could feel irritation bubbling from his throat at that view. He hated that dopey grin. He hated the way he looked at him in the classroom. He hated the way the teacher never ceased to bother him. He hated this sudden change in attitude. Most of all, he hated that this idiotic, greenhorn kept trying to make him play basketball, when clearly, it was the last thing he'd ever want to do.

He didn't need to remember. He didn't need anymore of this bullshit. To him, basketball was dead to him, a past that he had put behind him. Aomine sure as hell did not need this blonde idiot to drudge it back up.

Shooting blue daggers from his eyes, Aomine wished dearly that looks could kill.

Unfortunately, there seemed to be a miscommunication as Kise did not pickup on any of the blue-eyed boy's internal complaints, seeing as how he closed the distance. Grin never faltering, he reached a hand out and chirped, "Don't be shy, Aominecchi! Join the basketball team."

Aomine bit his lips, trying his very best not to explode into a frenzy rage.

Noticing the lack of response, the blonde canted his head and drew a finger to his lip as if he was ruminating about a grave matter. Finally taking in the faint red that painted the tanned tone of the other's skin, he bopped his fist onto his palm and smiled like he made a great discovery.

"Ah, Aominecchi," he chirped, "Could it be that you're not comfortable around girls? I know you don't have much experience with girls, but don't worry. The basketball team is a boys only team and so the only girls you'll be meeting with are the managers – "

A vein nearly popped on Aomine's forehead.

Yet another thing he hated about the new teacher – his habit of saying _the wrong thing, at the wrong time_.

Without another word, the teen turned swiftly to land a kick on the pale man, causing the latter to land on his bottom rather ungracefully, unbefitting to his image. Groaning, the English teacher tried to right himself whilst holding onto his abdomen.

"Uh, what was that for," he whined, looking up with pouty lips and glassy sun-like orbs.

Peeking towards the high ceiling with shaky vision, the male looked to find the sixteen year-old towering over him with an impressive predatory pressure. Filled with contempt were the boy's azure eyes as he gritted his teeth. An expression not quite suitable for a boy of this age and yet also extremely befitting at the same time crossed the tanned boy's face. Kise could not put his finger on it, but it felt disturbingly familiar to him.

Seeming to have nothing more to say, the boy gave his teacher one last look. Stuffing his large, tanned hands into his trouser pockets, the teen growled in his baritone voice, cutting through the boisterous-now-silent-hall.

"Never _fucking approach_ _me_ again."

Shooting a look that said that he'd sink his canines into the blonde's throat and rip it apart if he dared defy him, Aomine left as the other students fearfully made a path for him to cross. Not a whisper dared be uttered as countless pairs of eyes widen at the scene before, bodies trembling at the violence just witnessed. As the crowd watched the tanned boy's back retreat in the distance, apprehension filled the air. When he was finally out of sight, the tension cracked, breaking the magic spell that had held each bystanders tongues, starting with Kise.

As he watched as his target stomped away, the blonde once again shocked his dear students as he could not help but stifle a light chuckle, albeit the fact that it was more out of shock rather than anything humorous. Regrettably, the light shaking of his body was enough for it to reprimand him with a sharp sting to his stomach.

"Urgh," he moaned, hand shooting up to grip his side.

Sitting there, legs sprawled, Kise could not decide whether he was slightly awed of the strength in that young body, or just embarrassed for being sent into his now sorry state.

Reacting to his cry of pain, the corridor quickly resumed its chaotic state, this time in anxiety rather than excitement. Bouncing off the walls were shouts of panic, animated conversations on what had just transpired and murmurs of rumours. Most of the noise came from the gathering around the fallen English teacher though.

Coming quickly to his side was a female student – Nanase – if Kise remembered correctly, with long brown hair and warm caramel eyes. Cooing with one of the most mothering tones he's ever heard come out from a young woman's mouth, she caressed his hand and asked with shaky eyes, "Sensei, are you okay? Aw… it looks like it hurts a lot…."

Another girl, who the blonde did not recognize but assumed was another one of his fans as she was dressed in the cheerleading uniform also ran towards him, kneeling close.

"Kise-sensei, you should go get checked by Kuroko-sensei. Do you need help going to the infirmary?" She too wore a mask of genuine distress, fearful of his well-being.

Soon, a small crowd grew around his fallen form, their faces overflowed with worry as their voices openly expressed their overwhelming concern. Smiling fondly, the amber-eye man reached up to gently pat the two chestnut-haired heads whilst addressing the onlookers.

"I'm all right," he spoke in a soft, soothing manner, intent on calming his precious, frazzled students, "But if it will make you all fell better, I will go visit the school doctor."

Worry still clouded the wide eyes of the ever-growing crowd of girls, but Kise only dismissed their concern with a wave of his hand. Separating himself from his fan club, he strode down the thinning crowd. With light, purposeful steps, he made sure to make a display that his injury was nothing to worry about, that is, until he reached the decorated double doors that signified the confines of the infirmary.

* * *

"Ouch, ouch, ouch!"

Filling the now empty, spacious hospital-like room was the vivacious cries of the amber-eye man.

So much for being cool.

"Could you be more gentle, Kurokocchi?" he whined, eyes tearing as the smaller man treated the growing bruise on the right side of his abdomen. His injury was smarting, and stung even more when the school doctor applied pressure on it.

"Man up, Kise-kun," the lab-coated man said as he finished his examination.

Oblivious to his patient's unhappiness with his statement, he sighed and walked away from the cot, deciding to begin filling out an incident report. Without looking up, he ordered the blonde to ice the bruise every couple of minutes.

Biting his lips, Kise took the cold compress that was left on the expensive bed (that honestly was too extravagant to be called a cot) and gingerly placed it onto the purple-ish bruise that stained his otherwise perfect ivory skin. Upon contact, he flinched at the strange combination of pain from the cold and bruise.

_Damn, that kid is strong._

Not like he should have expected anything less, considering the sheer size of the 'kid.' Only in the middle of puberty, the teen was already slightly taller than Kise, and quite a bit buffer. Had he been wearing more revealing clothes, the blonde was sure he would find highly defined muscles, taut with rippling strength.

Collapsing dramatically, the blonde snuggled against the impossibly soft pillow and griped, "He is so not cute. Why can't he be like the other students?"

Kuroko scoffed, not bothering to turn around, "You mean like your fan club members who are dedicating their school lives to fawn over you?"

"No," Kise pouted, feeling slightly insulted, "Just…more tame…."

"From what I heard, Kise-kun, you've been pestering him all week."

"Well, I don't think it was enough to warrant a kick!"

"Aomine-kun would beg to differ."

"Ugh," the blonde puffed out his cheeks, feeling like he was being ganged up on. Frowning, he buried his face in the fluffy pillow, "Why is he so stubborn?"

Not bothering to look up from his report, Kuroko muttered softly in response, "Who is stubborn?"

"Aominecchi!" Kise exclaimed, obviously exasperated with the tanned student. In frustration, the man thumped his legs against the bed in a rhythmical way, not unlike a child throwing a tantrum. Immediately, he regretted his actions as his abdomen screamed at him for his carelessness. Whimpering, he lowered himself back into fetal position.

"Does this have to do with why you've been bothering him? What has he done this time?" the doctor breathed, pen still scrawling on top of the form.

Shaking his head in frustration, the blonde sighed, "It's not what he has done, but what _he hasn't!_"

"Hm. Has he not handed in another assignment?"

"That's not it. Rather, it isn't a matter of school work, Kurokocchi!"

"Oh?"

There was a hint of knowing in the otherwise dry voice now. Finally letting his jet-black fountain pen drop with a slight clink onto the polished desk, the smaller man looked up with curiosity dotting his sky-like eyes.

"I saw him playing basketball by himself the other day," Kise began, careful not to allow too much excitement seep into his tale, albeit without much success, "He was amazing, stunning actually. It was the first time in so long that I thought someone could be so good at basketball, someone I could really grow to admire. He was just so friggin' cool. I even thought that he might be better than I was at sixteen."

Kuroko could not hide his smile, "Sorry to say, but it is a fact that he is better than you were."

"Hey! That might be true bu – wait… you knew…?" the taller man asked, puzzled.

"Well, I do happen to know Aomine-kun much better than you do."

At this, the blonde felt his placid grin falter slightly but quickly brushed it off with a wave of his fingers, "Is that so… Ah, then can you tell me?"

"Tell you what, may I ask?"

Kise pursed his lips, looking down towards his thumbs as he twiddled them absentmindedly. Bringing forth memories of the style of Aomine's basketball, he frowned, "He's got so much potential at basketball, yet he fervently refuses to join the team… Why is that?"

Kuroko reacted not at all with surprise, simply stating with a plain voice, "Actually, Aomine-kun originally was part of the basketball team at one point."

"Eh?"

Suddenly jolting, the blonde flung himself up, staring at other man with surprised eyes. Forgetting about the still cool-to-touch compress that now laid helplessly on the floor, Kise moved towards the school doctor who wore a satisfied grin.

Cocking his head towards his shoulder, the English teacher scowled, "What do you mean by that, Kurokocchi?"

Shrugging the smaller man picked up his pen, spinning it around his thumb, "I simply meant what I said."

Sensing the confusion plastered on the blonde's face, Kuroko gave in despite himself, feeding the English teacher with a little more information.

"You see, Kise-kun, Aomine-kun is much more similar to you than you think. Like you, he was admitted to Teiko on a basketball scholarship."

"Eh?" Golden orbs flickered with disbelief as the man slumped over the doctor's desk, hands folded on top of the marble, "He isn't the son of some rich businessman?"

Letting out an odd laugh, the smaller man shook his head, "No. Aomine-kun comes from a… relatively normal family. Not particularly well-off, in more ways than one."

Something pricked his skin, but the blonde did not bring divulge further in his former teammate's strange answer. Instead, he contemplated out loud, twirling a yellow lock of hair with his index finger.

"Ne, Kurokocchi. If that's the case, then why did he quit?"

"That…" he hesitated, pen falling onto the crevice made between his forefinger and thumb, before he twirled it as he thought, "It… is not something that I should speak about."

"Then how am I supposed to know?" Kise pouted, the puppy-like expression returning as he brought his face to peek from just under the desk,

"By asking Aomine-kun himself," Kuroko smiled.

"What, _no way!_" the blonde whined, remembering the look on the tanned student's face, "He told me to never come close to him again."

"When have you ever listened to anyone's demands," Kuroko teased.

"I'm being serious here, Kurokocchi!"

"I am too."

Still not wanting to give up, he looked pitifully towards his friend, batting his long eyelashes in hopes of achieving some sort of sympathy, "He's going to rip my throat out."

For a moment, it seemed to work because the smaller man placed a hand on his shoulder and looked at him with sweet eyes. Then, as if dealing with an ill-tempered brat, the school doctor lightly plopped a piece of candy into the twenty-six year old's hands and said 'reassuringly,' "Don't worry, Kise-kun. If Aomine-kun attempts to end your life, I'll be there to more or less try and save your life."

Knowing he had lost, the blonde stormed away, sullenly.

_More or less? _Kise muttered to himself under his breath, _Definitely… reassuring…._

Imagining the boy's reaction when he saw him, the blonde shivered,_ Reassuring, my ass._

* * *

A/N: Sorry, it's a bit slow haha. But Aokise will come. They just need to get to know each other better first, ne? Thanks for reading as always and please review ^^.


	3. Chapter 3

Overhead, slivers of sunlight broke through the gathering mass of clouds, much to the displeasure of the blonde teacher. Blinding white caused him to squint a little, and frown as he realized that the clouds were gathering at an increasingly rapid pace. Making his way up onto the roof, he couldn't help but shiver, nervous about what was to come.

_At the very least, _he begged to whatever higher power was above the atmosphere, _don't let it rain._

Taking in a slow, deep breath, he placed one foot onto the slate-coloured floor, willing himself to let go of the staircase railings and continue forward through the metal door.

Sighing, his eyes darted around the premise of the rooftop, intent on getting it over with quickly. Without much of an effort, he found a familiar cardigan-covered figure lying rather motionlessly on the ground. Holding his breath, the blonde took a tentative step forward, careful not to cause the other to be startled, lest he end up with a slit throat.

Slowly and deliberately, he moved with an uncharacteristic calm, footsteps echoing faintly but not too noticeably. Upon reaching the boy, a sort of disappointment and relief welled up. Kise wasn't sure which emotion was dominant.

Exhaling a breath he hadn't realized he had been holding, the blonde kneeled down, face in his palm as he squinted over the sleeping teen. Something about the boy was…different. Leaning slightly further, the older man cast his eyes over the tanned student with more scrutiny, eyes absorbing the small details he had missed before.

_So this is the true face of the not-so-little demon that's been causing me so much grief, _he mused, entertained by the soft expression the usually raging child wore.

Unlike his temperamental, rough exterior, the serene face the teen wore as he slept was comforting…almost sweet. Smiling tenderly, Kise canted his head as his sun-like orbs softened, taking in the sight before him with a strange warmth. He noted that the usual creases and frown lines had disappeared; replaced with something he couldn't quite explain. Perhaps it was innocence that surrounded the sleeping boy, an innocence so easily forgotten about when the tanned teen was awake and aware of his ninety-nine problems or more.

Kise shivered again, this time aware of why.

_He's so alike to how I was after… after that…._

An unpleasant memory filled his mind, but he pushed it back, locking the gate that held the flood back. Closing his eyes, he willed himself to stop trembling, cursing himself for showing weakness, even if the witness wasn't conscious.

Drawing his eyes back to the blue-haired boy, he puffed his cheeks out and grinned.

"If you didn't look so angry all the time, you might even be cute."

Chuckling silently to himself, he wondered if the boy would be furious with being called 'cute.' Fortunately, or perhaps unfortunately, Kise did not have to wonder for long as a gruff, unamused voice cut through his train of thoughts.

"Don't call a man fucking cute."

"Eh?"

Feeling a sweat drop down his back, the blonde dropped his gaze, slightly fearful of the vicious sapphire daggers of eyes that hid behind closed lids. Painfully slowly, tanned eyelids fluttered openly, gazing at him with a fierce intensity that made him want to back out instantly, regretting having come here. Swallowing, he mentally chastised himself for not having brought a water bottle, juice, coffee – anything to drink really. His throat was oddly parched and was killing him.

Clearing his throat, he greeted the boy apprehensively, "H-hey, Aominecchi. When did you wake up?"

The boy glared at him, as if any small talk was a waste of his time, which probably was.

"Didn't I just tell you to never come near me again," the lue-haired boy snarled, unimpressed. Not moving, he continued to look up at the older man. His body, while relaxed, looked alert and ready to pounce on the English teacher at any moment.

For some reason, Kise found this even more nerve-wracking than when he usually dealt with the rampaging teen. Calm before the storm, perhaps.

"Er, well, you know," the blonde mumbled, fidgeting with his tie, "Um…."

Seeing as how the man struggled for words, the sixteen year-old could only shake his head. Scowling, he turned his body away from Kise, lying so that his head rested on his right bicep. He didn't need this fool to waste anymore of his time. If the blonde wasn't going to say anything, Aomine wasn't going to give a shit. He'd simply go back to sleep.

Or so he thought.

As soon as the siren called sleep came calling for him, the English teacher spoke up, pulling him back. Irritated, the boy didn't turn back to face the man. Why didn't he ever do what Aomine wanted him to do?

"What?" the tanned student barked, with a little more animosity than intended. Yet who could blame him? Anyone would be moody if you not once, but twice ruined their peaceful nap.

"I asked…" the blonde started, speaking each word hesitantly, "Why did you quit?"

Broad shoulders tensed, and automatically, azure eyes flickered into vigilance. Muscles rigid, the blue-hired boy allowed a moment of silence before feigning ignorance.

"Quit what?"

"The basketball team, obviously," Kise huffed, an exasperated pout escaping before he could stop it.

Not wanting the conversation to last any longer yet unable to find an excuse to change the topic, the boy resorted to an elementary tactic, "Who said I've ever joined?"

"Kurokocchi did."

"Kurokocc – oh. Tetsu," the boy cussed, swearing to have a long talk, or fist to the face ready for the cerulean-haired doctor, "Fuck, he talks too much."

_Tetsu? Ah. _Kuroko _Tetsu_ya. The blonde wondered about the boy's ease in speaking about the school doctor with such familiarity. Quietly, he made a mental note to ask Kuroko about his relationship to the student.

After, a lull of silence passed, neither moving an inch nor saying a word. However, unlike before, Aomine was unable to find peace to slumber, and the lack of conversation was getting to his nerves. It was so unlike the chatter-box of a man to be so silent. Anxiously, he shifted his body to regain the position he had before, flushing slightly when he realized that the blonde had been staring at him.

_The entire time._

"What t'hell are you looking at?" he growled, regretting having turned back, now wondering if he should have not asked and pretended he never noticed himself being watched.

"Well, you haven't answered my question yet," the pale man said, matter-of-factly.

"Tch," the blue-eyed boy clicked his tongue in frustration, "It's none of your frickin' business."

Sighing, Kise shook his head. Preparing himself, he tried again, knowing full well that this was a cheap shot, but deciding to take it anyways.

"Of course it is my business… I am your homeroom teacher after al – "

At the speed of sound, the last letter was blown away by the sheer speed and force of Aomine's hand shooting to grab hold of his collar. Wincing at the constriction, Kise fought to breathe as he clutched the vein-popping arms of the youth in his own pale hands.

_Wrong thing, at the wrong time. Again. _

"Don't. fucking. _joke with me!_" the boy roared, royal-blue orbs deepening to a stormy oceanic colour. Uncontrollable rage pulsated through his body, feeling ridiculed that this damn teacher thought he could use such a fake reason to try and crack him. In all honesty, it was rather insulting.

Tightening his hold, he brought the perfect, unmarred face closer to him and looked into amber eyes, wondering just what went inside this twenty-six year old brain.

"A-Aominecchi… l-let go," the blonde forced out, face losing colour as he lost his ability to breathe easily. Grasping uselessly at the tanned arm that was brimming with raw power, he couldn't help but shiver at the instantaneous change.

"Shut the fuck up," the teen snarled, gritting his teeth, "Don't pretend you care. Don't pretend you want to understand. I'm just a pain in your ass ever since day one, haven't I?"

Kise's eyes widened, but he couldn't say anything. Sheepishly, he looked down. If they were being honest here, he could not have denied these accusations.

"What do you even know about me, anyways? Why the hell do you keep on insisting on making me join the team when I clearly couldn't give less of a crap?" fuming, the boy continued his rant, face livid with emotion, "Well, are you going to answer me? And I swear to god, if you give me bullshit like 'it'll help you fit in' or that 'it'll fix you' or any of that adult uselessness, I'll fucking punch your face in."

Struggling to even breathe, the blonde felt that he was getting dangerously light-headed. Weakly, he motioned for the boy to let go. Seeing as how he wouldn't get an answer if the older man were to faint on him, the tanned student released his vice grip and instead held on with his intense stare.

Relieved to finally have an easy access to oxygen, the blonde took in slow, deep and steady breaths, calming his frantic heart. The boy only glared at him, demanding an answer. Frowning, the English teacher sighed, before reaching up to brush his bangs back. Man, he really needed a haircut.

"I…" he began, shakily trying to speak without sounding out of breath. He debated on lying, but seeing how the teen could react, he decided that the truth was safer, "Ah well… I want you to join simply because I think you're really cool."

Incredulous, ocean-like eyes inadvertently asked if the other man was even sane anymore, "The fuck?"

"Ah wait, no. That came out wrong," Kise laughed nervously, unconsciously backing away slightly, "I meant that the way you play basketball – your style, it's seriously cool."

"Huh… wait…" Aomine looked at him gaped mouth, still questioning the amber-eyed man's mental state, "Are you kidding me?"

"No, I…" the blonde shook his head, covering his mouth, slightly embarrassed, "When I saw you play, I really thought you were amazing. So amazing that I couldn't help but admire you; I just – I wanted to play with you."

"…The heck," the boy found himself muttering, cheeks turning rosy. Insanity, he could deal with – a punch in the face. Insincere adults – that too could be done away with physical violence. Actually, most things could be fixed with a simple right hook… but this. What was Aomine supposed to do when the idiot was complimenting him?

Still red as a tomato, he continued, muttering under his breath, "That's the stupidest reason. Ever."

"Hm? Ah, that's mean, Aominecchi," Kise pouted. He had been so truthful too.

Aomine rolled his eyes, pushing the blonde's face away from him, "Don't do that. It makes you look even younger than you already look. Shit, are you really older than me?"

"I am," the amber-eyed man stated defiantly, mouth pushed up against the other's palm. Leaning back, Kise straightened his tie and sat up taller, "Ten years your senior, actually."

With that said, the blonde gazed at Aomine's dumbstruck expression and feigned hurt at how he wasn't being persuaded. Sullenly, he stuck out his tongue and the blue-haired boy could only stare blankly at the absurdity of the situation.

Moments earlier, he had nearly choked the teacher to death and now here was said teacher sticking his tongue out him 'menacingly.' Shaking his head, he sighed, face-palming at the sight of the immature, six-foot tall kid in front of him. Unable to help himself, he snorted, which soon escalated into chuckles. Shoulders still shaking, the blue-haired boy eventually could not contain it any longer and collapsed onto the ground. His deep, jovial laughter filled the otherwise quiet rooftop.

Puzzled at the teenager's out of character actions, the blonde looked at the squirming man with quizzical eyes.

"Why are you laughing at me?"

Still clutching his abdomen, the student found it difficult to halt his fit of giggles. Struggling to find his voice, he took a shaky breath, "No reason. J-j ust wanted to."

"Aw, that's not a valid reason, Aominecchi."

At that, the teen's chuckles died down and instead he regarded the blonde with strange eyes. Oceanic orbs boring into him, Kise fidgeted uncomfortably as the boy gazed at him with slight curiosity, "Why do you call me that? You do it with Tetsu too."

"Hm?" the blonde tilted his head thoughtfully before understanding what the boy meant, "Ah, the –cchi thing?"

"Yeah."

"It's a sign of respect. I end the names of the people I admire and acknowledge with –cchi."

"Huh," the tanned student scoffed, sitting up and cracking his neck, "You sure move fast. Just a week ago, you hated my guts. Now you respect me, eh?"

A blush flitted across the English teachers cheeks and he looked away embarrassed, "…I've been told that I have a habit of judging books by their cover and then adapting quickly when I find out that I was wrong. Like Kurokocchi… and you…"

"But man, your change in attitude is way too quick, it's pretty scary…."

The blonde shrugged his shoulders, slumping over, "I can't help it. I was shocked at your potential. I know talent when I see it… and it got me really excited."

"Talent?"

"Yeah," Kise smiled fondly at the boy, who looked away, shy from the attention, "Your potential is without a doubt the highest I've ever seen. If I dare say so, it seems to be almost limitless."

A warm flush dusted the tanned teen's cheeks, and he had to look anywhere but at the smiling blonde before him. It felt weird to be given such compliments after being used to the scorn of his teachers for the past year. Muttering, he tried to play it cool.

"The basketball world must be pretty sad if a kid like me is considered the best, even though it's not like anyone has beaten me before."

Following his words was a pause, in which the boy dared to look at the blonde. He instantly lamented his decision.

Sitting there, wearing the most idiotic smile ever was Kise.

"Ne, Aominecchi. I said that you had high potential, not that you were the best. How conceited you are, especially for someone who claims to hate basketball~"

"Ngh," the boy felt his ears burn as his face turned fifty shades of red, "S-same thing."

Damn it all, what was with him and his big mouth?

Drowning in a pool of self-loathing, the tanned boy leaned his head on top of a bent knee that he had drawn to his chest. Scowling with focused eyes, he muttered inaudibles into the cool air.

Watching the youth, cheeks flushed and eyes downcast, Kise laughed quietly to himself. This side of Aomine was cute. Feeling better than before, he scooted over to his student and poked the other's cheek, "Ne, Aominecchi! Join the basketball te –"

"No," the tanned boy answered instantly, swatting the blonde's finger away.

Shocked, the older man brought a hand up, holding onto a handkerchief he had pulled out of his pocket. Faking tears, he sat mermaid style and cried, "H-how could you reject me so coldly… I thought our relationship we had changed."

The reward of his shenanigans was a shoe to his head.

"Cut it out with your stupid acting, you friggin' drama queen," Aomine yelled, a subdued irritation bubbling.

"Ow, that hurt, Aominecchi. You shouldn't throw shoes at your teacher."

"And you shouldn't act like such an idiot. Jeez, I swear to god that you're not twenty-six."

"You're right," Kise smiled gently, "I'm twenty-six and five months old."

"…."

Not seeing that that deserved to be dignified with a response, the tanned student only walked up to the grinning fool and wacked him on the head with his other shoe.

"Ouch! I just said to not hit me!"

Wearing an unamused, blank face, Aomine stared down on his teacher, "You said not to throw, not that I shouldn't hit you."

Cheeks puffed, the blonde's shoulders slumped, "_Stupid_ _brat_…."

"What did you just say?" the boy said, cautiously. Unfairly, the English teacher had resorted to using English.

Feeling that he had the upper hand, Kise smiled sweetly, "If you paid attention in class, you would understand."

"Tch," the azure-eyed boy bit his lip, unhappy that the man was enjoying teasing him. Petulantly, he crossed his arms and glared, "I'm never playing basketball with you. Never, ever."

"Wha – no!"

As quick as the speed of sound, the smug grin that had decorated the pale man's face dropped and he looked at the teen with pleading eyes, "No way, Aominecchi. You can't be serious."

Secretly satisfied at turning the tables, Aomine smirked, "Oh, I am."

"No, no, no, no," the blonde whimpered, "But I really want to play with Aominecchi."

"Then tell me what you said," the teen ordered, amused by his position of power.

Without hesitation, the amber-eyed man replied, "I called you a stupid idiot."

"Is that so…" the boy muttered, vein pulsing. Swiftly, he moved behind that blonde, who was confused as to what was happening. In a smooth movement, the blue-haired boy had pinned down the older man and had gotten him into a Boston Crab.

"Ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch!" the blonde cried, slamming his palms on the floor of the rooftop frantically, "Mercy, Aominecchi, mercy!"

"Should've thought about that before you insulted me, ah?" the tanned student laughed demonically, unrelenting in his hold.

"Sorry, sorry, sorry," Kise chanted, squirming. The more he moved, the tighter the teen's hold got, however.

"Say, 'I am very sorry, Overlord Aomine Daiki the Great and Powerful Ruler and Conqueror of Gravure Models and Crayfish."

_Don't laugh, don't laugh, don't laugh…_ the man chanted, face heating up from the childish behaviour of the teen. Focusing on the pain instead, he sighed.

"I am very sorry, Overlord Aomine Daiki…pfft… the Great and Powerful Ruler and… C-Conqueror of Gravure Models."

"Did you just laugh?"

"No, never. Not once. I would never. Believe me, Mr. Overlord…" Kise stated with his most serious face.

Satisfied, the blue-haired boy got off of the restless teacher who collapsed against the cool floor. Sitting up slowly, he pouted, looking directly at the aloof student.

With a playful tone, he whined, "Such a cruel man, Aominecchi. How could you pin me to your floor and have your way with me and then throw me aside like this."

Again, he got hit in the head by a tanned fist.

Fuming, the blonde shot him a death glare, "Hey! Stop making me lose brain cells!"

"You can't lose what you never had," Aomine deadpanned, "Frick, can't you ever stay serious for more than two seconds?"

"I'm always serious."

"The fuck you are," he spat, rolling his deep oceanic eyes.

"I'm always serious when I say how cool you are, and when I say that I want to play basketball with you."

"You – " the boy turned, glaring at the blonde for so easily saying such embarrassing words.

"So, please join the team, Aominecchi."

Golden eyes looked at him with such sincerity, that the tanned teen found his words unable to escape his throat. Never had he seen the man before him so determined, and he didn't know just what to say. Looking down to break from the other's magnetic gaze, he shook his head.

"I… quit the team already. I quit… basketball…."

"Just come back."

"It's not…" he frowned, "it's not that easy."

An unnerving silence wrapped itself around them, choking the words as they tried to leave. Moments later, Aomine heard the rustling of clothes and looked up. Kise simply looked at him with thoughtful eyes.

"Well, then," he spoke, softly and considerately, "Why don't we play a game then?"

"A game?"

"Yeah. Let's play a one-on-one after school. Just you and me. If you win, I'll stop bothering you. If I win, you'll join the team."

Sceptical blue orbs scrutinized the blonde, unbelieving the proposition, "Promise? No backing out on the agreement?"

Smiling in a way that gave Aomine shivers – bad shivers – Kise gave a small mock bow, "You have my word."

Feeling apprehensive about the situation but too tempted by the prize, the boy sighed.

"Fine. Deal. Whatever."

The blonde flashed him his model smile, which made the boy want to gag, "I'll see you after school, today, on the far courtyard then. See you then~"

"Right," Aomine sighed, wishing he could just walk away, "See you then…"

* * *

**A/N:** I plan to update once or twice a week... Hopefully, finishing before September comes along haha. I'm actually not sure exactly how long this fic will be though, although it is nowhere near done at this point in time. Any ways, **thanks for reading and as always, reviews are very much appreciated.** Really, I love them to bits!


	4. Chapter 4

Rubber screeching against the smooth asphalt and the familiar reverberations pounding into his soul brought a rush of nostalgia. Tingeing the air was the salty taste of perspiration, and the sound of shallow breaths filled the otherwise quiet courtyard. Steadying himself into position, the boy lowered his lids over his oceanic eyes and took a deep breath, steeling himself for what was next to come. Slowly, his eyes opened and he took caution in the way he observed the sunshine-like man before him.

Dribbling in his smooth, cat-like way was the English teacher, who wore a concentrated expression. Amber eyes darting calculatingly around the court, his position never faltered. Despite himself, the boy found himself smiling.

_Exhilarating, _he thought, breathless at how at ease his body was while playing. Although he was tired, although he was supposed to have quit basketball, Aomine could not help but relax in the euphoria playing ball gave him. Inhaling deeply, he couldn't help but tremble in excitement. He hated to admit it, but he was having _fun. _He felt _alive. _

Sighing, he resigned himself to the pleasure of watching the older man's movements. All of his breaths, the small twitch of his limbs, the way he changed his positioning slightly as he simulated possible moves – the tanned teen took it all in. Relaxing his body, he readied himself for the oncoming bullet of a man.

_Come, _he willed the blonde, _Give it your best shot._

As if Kise heard him telepathically, the man moved.

Quick as lightening, agile as a panther, he manoeuvred his way towards the blue-haired youth with intent on passing him. Fueled with his desire to win, the boy smirked, holding his position with confidence as the blonde approached. Lowering his stance, Aomine broke through the illusions Kise tried to place on him as he faked left, then right, before trying to drive right past the boy.

Completely seeing through the man's moves, Aomine didn't move and instead shot his left hand towards the teacher, successfully stealing the ball. With the remainder of his stamina, he rushed towards the opposite side, fully aware of the gaining man chasing him. Laughing, he forced his long legs to run faster, and then launched himself upwards. In the air, he brought his arm up and dunked, breaking past Kise's last minute attempts at a block.

Landing with a light thud, he smiled down at the blonde who had fallen onto his behind,

"I won."

Frowning, the older man quibbled while trying to push himself off his elbows, "One more time."

"To hell with 'one more time,'" the boy rolled his eyes, "You've said that so many times already."

"Come on, Aominecchi! Best fifty-seven out of fifty-eight."

"Screw you."

"If you are so good, you should be able to beat me just once more."

"You've used that one already."

"You're just scared."

"Used that for round thirty-three."

"Ahh," the blonde clutched his head, shaking frantically, "Wait just a moment. I'll think of a good bait to make you play another round."

"Sort of ruins it when you state it like that," the tanned boy snorted, rolling his eyes. Lethargically, he took a seat on the cold asphalt in front of the blonde who was now lost in thought.

Breathing slow and steadily, he cast his sapphire orbs onto the older man, seeing the other clearly for the first time. Cursing himself, he hated to admit it but the man before him was really good looking. The way his blonde locks framed his face, the sharp yet soft shape of his face, his ivory smooth face and the way his amber eyes seemed to glow – everything about the blonde screamed perfection. Now seeing the blonde without his usual monkeying behaviour, Aomine found that the blonde really was older than he was.

In the warm, orange glow of the setting sun, the boy could see the years on the English teacher's face. It wasn't to say that the blonde looked old per se, but rather, while in deep thought, he gave off a certain air of maturity. There was something unsaid about the way his eyes looked, the way it seemed to stare far off to something unseen. Aomine wasn't sure what the older man was thinking about now, but it was obvious that it wasn't on brainstorming an excuse to play one more game.

Hesitatingly, the blue-eyed boy spoke in a low grumble, "Oi, Kise?"

At the sound of his own name, the blonde turned his head slowly, blinking at the teen before registering who he was.

"Ah…" Kise said, smiling with a cool expression, one that Aomine had never seen before, "Sorry."

It was different from his usual dopey grin, but the youth could not describe how. What he could describe, was how it made his heart jump. Frowning, he tried to convince himself that it was nothing – just stupid Kise trying to get to him by suddenly acting cool – "Gyaah!"

The blonde jumped at the sudden exclamation as the blue-haired boy began gripping his head and grovelling as if he was having an inner fight with himself.

_Did I just think that Kise – idiot Kise – was cool, _Aomine griped, unable to brush off the shame.

Pounding the ground, he convinced himself that it was a lapse in concentration, due to his fatigue from playing so much basketball.

_Yes, that is exactly what it is. I don't like him or anything… he's still an annoying tick._

Silently coming to terms with himself, Aomine suddenly stood up, causing the already confused blonde to become even more bewildered.

"Um, Aomincecchi?" he asked, disorientated, "Are you… okay?"

"Fine. Couldn't be better. See ya," the youth said, flustered. He decided that it was best to leave now before he acted impulsively and did something that he would regret later.

"Wait," the smaller man pouted, grabbing hold of Aomine's wrist, "What about the basketball team?"

"I won, idiot. Fifty-seven times, actually. So, I have no reason to join."

"No way," the blonde pouted, "But you belong there."

"I don't fucking 'belong' anywhere," Aomine grumbled, shaking the other's grip off.

"Nooo, Aominecchi," Kise fell to his knees, hugging onto one of the tanned boy's legs, "Don't leave without joining!"

"What the – let go of me!" the student exasperatedly shouted, "You gave me your word – that you'd stop bothering me!"

"I promised to stop bothering you, not that I'd stop recruiting you."

"That fricking counts as bothering me, you idiot!"

"Lalala~ I can't hear anything!"

Frustrated, the blue-haired teen resorted to shaking his leg, trying to knock the blonde pest off. However, the older man clung onto his tighter than super glue. Seething with annoyance, he shook his head. Whatever impressions he had thought of the blonde being mature or respectable flew out the window.

Giving up, he dropped the basketball onto the other man's head.

"Ouch, that hurt!"

Glaring down, Aomine clicked his tongue, "I'm not joining the team."

"But Aomin –" Kise began to protest, squeezing his face against the boy's leg.

Pushing the English teacher off, he collapsed back down on the ground and sighed.

"I'm not joining… but I'll play with you once in a while."

"Eh…"

Feeling his neck heat up as the blonde stared at him blankly, he quickly added, "O-only when I feel like it, okay?"

Finally understanding the proposition offered, pink lips curled up in a slight smile, "Wow, is Aominecchi of all people offering to be generous?"

"S-shut up," the boy frowned.

"I guess I'm not the only one who's attitude changes quickly," the blonde chuckled.

"Don't laugh at me," the blue-haired teen scowled, "You're not half-bad for… for an injured person."

"What?"

"Your leg… it's hurt, isn't it?"

At this, the blonde's topaz eyes widened slightly, "You...what do you…?"

"You play somewhat, I don't know, conservatively. Like you're protecting your leg," the tanned student sighed, "Anyways. It'd just feel wrong to win when you're not at one hundred percent, y'know. Nothing more."

Still staring at the blue-haired boy blankly, Kise found himself chuckling over the other's innocence. Releasing his grip on the youth's limbs, he smiled, "If I win in even one game, will you join the team?"

Tired of resisting, the boy sighed and waved at the puppy-like man dismissively, "Yeah, yeah, whatever. I don't care anymore. If you score even once against me, I'll join."

"You promised, Aominecchi!"

"Yeah, right, whatever. Just… get off of me."

Flustered, the boy tried to push the blonde's arms away, struggling as he was held in an embrace. When he couldn't free himself, he turned his face away, trying to ignore the warmth that spread through his chest.

_Just an after effect from basketball, _he thought, _just an after effect…._

* * *

"Ne, ne, let's play one-on-one~"

"No."

"Aw, come on, Aominecchi!"

"No."

"But you promised!"

"I said when 'I felt like it.' I don't feel like it, now."

"Bleh, Aominecchi is so mean. So mean, so mean, so mean, so mean, so – "

"Agh, just shut up!"

Merely one day after making the agreement, the tanned student found himself wallowing in immense regret. Somehow, the blonde man had found the energy and motivation to be even _more_ annoying than before. Scowling, he wondered if he could take it back now.

"Aw, Aominecchi is angry again," Kise chirped in his sing-songy voice. For some reason, whatever hesitation the teacher had with Aomine had disappeared. Where the nervousness the older man had around him on the roof had dissipated. Probably, Aomine thought, it was because the other man could sense that the boy would likely no longer kill him.

This itself puzzled the youth. It wasn't as if the irritation he held for the pest of a teacher had completely gone away. It was more like… like it was lessened. Shaking his head, he banished the thought. He never was an introspective person, and he wasn't going to start now.

"Shut up, damn it," he barked at the blonde, "What are you doing here anyways?"

Kise tilted his head to the side, slightly confused as he held his sandwich up, "To eat lunch, obviously."

"Yeah, right. I can fucking see that," the blue-haired boy sighed, rolling his eyes, "Let me re-phrase that. _Why_ are you here?"

Here, being the more or less empty rooftop.

"Just wanted to eat lunch with Aominecchi~"

The teen scoffed at this and then proceeded to lay back down, "Don't you have any friends your own age? What teacher spends his lunch with a student?"

Pouting, the blonde folded his arms, "They're all busy. Kurokocchi has to take care of some students, Midorimacchi won't hang around me because apparently Cancers and Geminis have the worst compatibility today, Murasakibaracchi has a cooking club meeting and Akashicchi is simply out of the question."

"Kurokocchi is Tetsu, Midorima … ah that green-haired freak of a science teacher… Murasakibara is the giant purple teletubby home economics teacher that eats more than he cooks… and…" the boy rummaged through his memory, "Akashi… isn't that the school chairman?"

"Mm. Yeah. You got everyone."

"Man," Aomine chuckled, rolling to face Kise, "You had to pick the weirdest ones to be your friends."

"It's not that I picked them," the blonde laughed, sipping on his mineral water before continuing, "We are all former classmates and teammates."

"Teammates?"

"Yeah. We were all part of the basketball team here at Teiko."

"Wait, if you were part of Tetsu's year," Aomine sat up, curious, "Were you all a part of the Generation of Miracles?"

"Generation of What?"

"There's an urban legend that says that eleven years ago, there was a team full of prodigious players."

"What," the blonde had to stifle a laugh, "No way. We were good, but I don't think we were that amazing."

"Hey, Tetsu is a pretty amazing basketball player though…"

At this, Kise smiled, "That's true. Ah, but I think for us to have really been deserving that nickname, would be if Aominecchi was a part of our team."

"Wha- tch," Aomine stuttered, feeling a blush paint his cheeks.

"It's true. I think that we'd be invincible," Kise mused, oblivious to the growing flush that covered a great area of the teen's face.

Letting out a cough, Aomine changed the subject to avoid anymore embarrassment, "Well then… if you guys were so good at basketball… why did you all become something other than basketball players? I mean, isn't it a pretty weird coincidence that you all ended up working here?"

At his words, the blonde visibly froze, smile slowly slipping off of his face.

"That… well…" haltingly, the amber-eyed man spoke, before laughing the matter off, "I suppose we all just chose jobs with more security, ne?"

"Seriously?"

The boy thought about it. It was true that playing as a professional athlete would be rather riskier than a profession in the education sector. Yet that didn't explain how all five teammates ended up here. Furthermore, according to Kuroko… there had been one other. Where was he now?

Squinting his eyes, the boy watched the older man with curious eyes. Something was off about Kise's answer, and about the English teacher for the matter. Unfortunately Aomine didn't bring it up, or rather couldn't. Shortly after, the blonde dashed away from the roof top, claiming that he had business to attend to, leaving the boy alone to ponder on what the deal was with this strange man.

* * *

In the end, Aomine found himself loitering around in the school infirmary, waiting for the school doctor to return from his break. As the door slid open, he turned to find a pair of familiar sky-like eyes gazing at him.

"Yo," he greeted, flopping down onto the cot as the doctor walked.

"Aomine-kun," Kuroko nodded, setting his papers down before sitting on his leather chair and turning to face him, "It's been a while."

"Yeah…" Suddenly, the boy found himself feeling slightly awkward. He might have been paranoid, but it felt as if the man before him could see through him.

"So, for what purpose do I have the pleasure of your presence?" the smaller man asked, in his ever monotonous voice, "Sick? Injured? Skipping class?"

"Ah well," a calloused, tanned hand reached up to scratch his head, "I just…sort of wanted to talk to you."

"Oh?"

"Um, yeah. So well, you and Kise… are pals?"

"That's correct," Kuroko answered, an understanding glint sparkling in his eyes as a ghost of a smile appeared, "But this is surprising. Aomine-kun cares enough about Kise-kun to ask about him?"

"Huh, what, no!" A furious red bloomed across his face as he shook his head vehemently, "He's so friggin' annoying and doesn't know when to give up. Actually, that last part isn't too bad. It well, sort of makes me want to try a bit. Only a bit…."

Kuroko couldn't help but smile as the boy trailed off, "Kise-kun has always been very persistent."

"Yeah. He's so strangely perseverant even when he's injured."

This caught the smaller man's attention. Narrowing his eyes, Kuroko asked in a calm voice, "Injured?"

"Huh?" the blue-haired boy looked up, and then his eyes lit up, "Oh yeah. That's what I wanted to talk to you about. I was kind of curious, y'know, about his leg injury."

"Leg… injury… how did you…"

Waving his hand, the tanned student rolled his eyes, "I ain't stupid, Tetsu. When I played against him, I could tell from the way he moved. His rhythm was off. Man, it must suck to be injured when you love basketball as much as him. If it was me a year ago, I wouldn't be able to stand it."

Hopping off the bed, the youth stretched his arms, "Actually, Tetsu, you're like a doctor right?"

Hearing this, the man spoke in a deadpan voice, "Not _like_. I _am_ a doctor. Hence why I am employed by the school to treat students."

"Same thing. Anyways, when will his injury heal?"

"Aomine-kun," the school doctor frowned, "That injury was from a while back."

"Oh, like what, a couple months ago? Man, it must've been pretty bad."

"No, um actually, Ao – "

"So what was he like in high school?"

Before Kuroko could finish his sentence, Aomine had popped another question. Opening his mouth, he closed it as he thought of the blonde English teacher. Sighing, he shook his head and let out a small smile.

"Kise-kun… was cheery as he is now…"

_Perhaps it's better for him not to know._

"He only started basketball in his second year of middle school but he developed very quickly…."

_Yes, _Kuroko thought, _Aomine-kun doesn't need to know that it should have fully healed eight years ago._

* * *

**A/N:** Ah, here's Ch 4. Hope it didn't feel too rushed. Ahem. Basketball changes everything okay *cough* Anyways I actually don't have anything to say except as always, thanks for reading and please review *hugs*


	5. Chapter 5

_A muddle of salt, iron and fear stained the air around him. From somewhere far off, he heard the muffled shuffling of sneakers on waxed floor and garbled shouts in the distance. Through dark eyes, he wondered why the ground was so close, so cold. Why was it so hard?_

_Sirens in the background filled his ears… the shuffling got louder but the voices still incomprehensible. They were now close – too close, rather. _

_Hands – touching, searching, feeling, and lifting – his body felt oddly weightless. As if he was underwater, or floating peacefully in a placid fluid. There was no pain, no sensation, no pleasure – just being. Even strapped to a gurney, he felt nothing much despite knowing that he was to be transported to the hospital. After all, that was where ambulances delivered people to, wasn't it?_

_Wheeling through, bright spotlights glared into his eyes but he could not close them. Through hollow eyes, he saw thousands of spectators, faces masked by the shadows, unseen, unlike the faces of his teammates. Yet he could feel all eyes on him, leering, curious – disappointed. It shamed him. But not as much as the faces the other players made._

_Passing through and through, he saw the worried expressions of the boys he knew well, uncertainty painted all over them. _

"_Kise-kun!"_

_A small boy darted towards him, face filled with anxiety as small, trembling hands held onto the gurney. A paramedic ushered him away, whilst tears streamed down the blue-eyed boy's face._

"_I'm sorry, I'm so sorry…."_

'_What are you sorry for,' the blonde wondered as the robed men placed a mask over his face and needle in his arm, 'it's not your fault.'_

'_Rather,' the amber-eyed teen thought, 'It's mine.'_

"_Ngh," a short burst of pain shot through his body, electrocuting his nerves. _

_The blonde gritted his teeth._

'_Damn, if I hadn't been so stupid… then we could have won.'_

_Images of the game played in his head. Blurs flashing past, arms outstretched, faceless players darting around him…They were so … so close to winning. It should have been an easy win, in the bag, no competition… what happened?_

_Where did it start to go wrong. It was his fault – he was stupid. What made him stupid again? What was his fault again?_

_He couldn't remember anymore. Everything kept fading, slipping from his grasp._

_Black, everything was turning to black. _

_Frowning, he began to squirm. _

_Something was wrong._

_It was so hot now, so tight – he wanted to get out. _

_Digging into his skin, the straps restrained him._

_It was so hard to breathe. It hurt. It hurt so much._

_No longer was he floating serenely in a pool of nothingness. Now, it felt as if someone was biting his leg off. It scorched, burned – it just hurt!_

"_Hah… haah," Kise panted, flailing growing more erratic, desperate, wanting to ease the pain in any way._

_But there was nothing. No one around, no lights, nothing at all in the vast dark space – nothing to relieve the flaring pain that rode up along his leg._

'_It hurts," he cried, "It hurts, it hurts, it hurts…."_

_Helplessly, he watched as black tendrils started to consume his leg, pain escalating with each inch of skin it ate._

_Whimpering, he clawed desperately at it._

'_Someone help me.'_

'_Anyone, please….'_

'_Make it stop….'_

'_Stop.'_

'_Stop… please, it hurts….'_

'_Stop, stop, stop….'_

'_Stopstopstopstopstopstopstopstopstopstopstophurtshurtshurtshurtshurtshurtshurtshurtshurts – '_

"It fucking hurts!"

"…."

"…Hurts…"

"…?"

"I… what…oh…."

Drenched in sweat, the blonde found himself trembling. Shakingly, he glanced around the room. It wasn't the basketball courts or the ambulance, or the complete blackness he had despaired in. With chattering teeth, he bit down hard onto a pale finger, shivering as he felt the familiar sensation of reality.

_Just a dream, _he reminded himself, still visibly alarmed.

Sliding a leg towards his chest, he hugged himself tight, grateful that the sun's light was seeping through his gently dancing blinds. Gulping for air, he reached a hand down towards his outstretched leg.

It throbbed dully, a faint remnant of the pain – but all too real for his liking.

They said that it should have healed by now.

They said that he shouldn't feel pain anymore.

So why did he?

"Damn it…" he growled, fingers clawing at the white sheets as he bunched them into a fist, "What the hell is this…"

It had been so long since he had this dream, rather, _this memory_ play out in his sleeping mind. Usually, the remnants of memories of this era of his life stayed dormant, away from his consciousness. Biting his lower lip, he glanced towards his mahogany bedside table, frowning at the time.

5:30 am.

Too early for work, too late for more sleep.

_Not like I could sleep more after that though._

Problem solved on what to do. Work it was.

Sighing, Kise rose onto jelly-like legs, forcing his body to move towards the bathroom.

_Damn it, _he sighed internally, _Today was going to be a long day._

* * *

Coming to a low rumble, the engine murmured itself into silence as the blonde switched the ignition off. As he looked up, he caught sight of his reflection in the rear-view mirror. Cringing, he scowled.

_Welcome back, _he thought, as he stared back at a man both familiar and foreign to him.

Watching back with eyes as dead as fish's, the other blonde only mirrored him, thoughts flowing in telepathically. Well technically, it was his own thoughts – his other self… his past.

'_That day, you screwed your leg up,' _his image whispered with gleaming once amber eyes now turned umber.

_Just stop talking, _Kise thought back, wondering if thinking against himself constituted for insanity.

'_And now your leg has screwed up your life.'_

_I don't want to hear this._

Unable to keep himself calm, the English teacher promptly got out of the car. As luck would have it, leaving his seat wasn't nearly enough to get rid of his little ghost.

Smirking up at him from his side-view mirror, the other Kise looked almost gleeful, in a sort-of demonic way, _'But who is there to blame, save for yourself? You're the one who was stubborn, overconfident, a pushover – frankly, you deserve th – ' _

"Shut up!" he shouted, finally having had enough. Slamming his car door shut, he shortly pondered whether or not to just rip off the mirror and crack the glass. Anything would be better than seeing that goddamn taunting smile of his past self's.

At the last moment though, the blonde paused, realizing that the mirror had nothing to do with his visions. His torturer was a fixation of his own imagination, nothing else.

Frowning, he seriously contemplated whether or not he should check into a mental hospital.

With a sigh, he unclenched fists that he had previously not realized were tightly held and breathed a deep breath. Chiming twice in the silent lot, his car doors locked as the blonde made his way towards the double doors that led straight into a corridor close to the staff room. What he intended to do in the high school division staff room was unknown even to him, but it was better than staying at home. Perhaps he could help another teacher out – okay scratch that. No one in their right mind would be here this early in the morning.

Ah, never mind that again.

Apparently, someone was.

Freezing in place, Kise looked through the open door with dumbfounded eyes as a pair of emerald orbs stared back.

"Kise," the owner of the green eyes greeted, mirroring the blonde's bewilderment, "You're here…early…."

"So I am," he laughed, "But here you are too."

Not taking his gaze off of Kise, Midorima pushed his glasses up to further bring attention to the suspicion in his eyes, "I had forgotten some tests here that I needed to mark by today. I decided to come earlier to finish said task. What about yourself?"

"Ah, well, just wanted to start the day off early, I guess?"

"Two hours before class starts? Kise, it's still six-thirty."

_Oops, _the amber-eyed man cursed, wishing that he had come up with a better excuse. Uncomfortable with the new-found silence and his inability to come up with a new excuse, the blonde shifted from side to side.

Scrutinizing his with calculating eyes, Midorima shook his head.

"Kise," he exhaled, "Did you… have that dream… again?"

"Eh?" The man flinched, shocked, "That... n-no…."

"You're hiding your leg behind you like you're protecting it from me."

Letting out a nervous laugh, Kise refused the science teacher's statement, "Don't be silly, Midorimacchi! It's just my natural pose."

"You're gripping your trousers as if you're in great pain."

"Erm," What could he say to that one? Uncurling his fingers self-consciously, the blonde felt the blood rush to his fingers where circulation had been cut off from the sheer force he had used to clench onto his pants, "It.. I…."

Not listening, the bespectacled man continued, "You're limping slightly, as if you're afraid to put any weight on your leg. You look pale and your eye bags deeper than usual. Your eyes dart around, alert…. Furthermore… you're backing away from me right now."

At this, Kise let out a small smile, "What, are you Kurokocchi now?"

"One doesn't need to have the observation skills of Kuroko to see what's obviously written on your face."

"Aw, and here I thought you were going to be the next Sherlock Holmes! Who knew that I was just an open book."

Towards the blonde's half-baked attempt of lightening the mood, the taller man scowled, "Kise…."

Putting his hands up to appease the situation, Kise chuckled, "Mm, you got me. I had the nightmare of that day, okay? It's nothing… really…."

Unlike his colleague, Midorima did not so much as crack a grin. His stony expression stayed plastered on his face as he watched the blonde. After what felt like a millennium but probably only lasted a few seconds, the green-eyed man's face softened. This time, it was his turn to clench his fists.

"Kise I…" he began, voice shaking, "Sorry. That time, I should have been there. We – I, shouldn't have let you go like that. It was our…my – "

"My fault," Kise finished for him, shaking his head, putting on a smile he wasn't feeling, "That… nothing was your fault, nor anyone else's but mine. You and everyone else… have done more to repent then you should have. Honestly, you all should seriously stop with all this apologizing. You should just forgive yourself and move on."

Taking his words to heart, the green-haired science teacher bore his eyes into Kise, searching for the truth, "Have you?"

Laughing heartily yet hollowly, the blonde shrugged, "What is there to forgive? I've already said that no fault was yours."

"No," Midorima sighed, "What I meant was is you had absolved yourself."

"I…" he hesitated, turning his eyes away from the searching gaze of the other man before mumbling quietly, "….have."

"Kise!"

"Sorry," he smiled softly, quickly turning on his heels and walking out the staff door before the other man could stop him, "'I've got to go prepare for class now. Bye bye~"

Half running, half walking, the English teacher shot himself down the long hallway, footsteps echoing eerily through the vast corridors. Furrowing his brows, the blonde teacher picked up his pace, eager to get as far away from his former teammate as possible. He didn't need this. He didn't want to remember. Ten years and still the day was still scorched vividly into the back of his mind, burning like it was recently imprinted there. As if it only happened yesterday…

_Shit, _he thought, _Why – why did it have to be awoken now?_

Now nearly sprinting, he made for the final leg of his journey, intent on feeling the sanctuary of reality that was his classroom. There, his mind would be on teaching, his students, English – nothing to do with his past. He'd be okay, he'd be…

"Umpf!"

Just when he thought life couldn't throw another brick to his head, it did.

Tumbling down, falling to the ground at an alarming speed, the blonde quickly reached his hands out to brace for a nasty fall. Landing on his biceps first before bouncing on his shoulders, flipping feet over head and skidding on the marble floors to a halt, Kise gritted his teeth and forced his eyes shut. Breathing in shallow breaths, he could feel the rush of blood and pain seeping through the various cuts and bruises he probably had just acquired. His entire body ached, screaming at him.

But that wasn't what was on his mind.

Ignoring the burning stings of his new injuries, his hands instinctively darted towards his leg.

Whimpering, he waited for the intense pain to come.

It never did.

Opening his eyes slowly, the yellow-eyed man propped himself up tentatively, hesitatingly rotating his ankle and then flexing his once injured leg.

No pain, no problems – it was perfectly fine.

Seeing this, the truth hit him hard in the face.

Kise couldn't help but stifle a laugh.

His leg was no longer injured.

It, without a doubt had healed perfectly for 8 years now.

Yet it still throbbed dully, haunting him like a ghost, preventing him from the life he had planned.

"Ahahaha….ha…haha….ha…"

Who was he trying to kid? He never came to terms with his trauma, not even close.

_I'm just a coward._

Damn, reality was a bitch.

Smiling bitterly, he forced his body up, wincing at the smarting burns of his wounds and rug burn. Half dragging his screaming limbs, he changed directions to head for the infirmary. As much as he wanted to avoid the extremely perceptive man, there was no helping it. After all, Kise could not just simply walk in the classroom battered and bruised all over the place and expect his students to learn attentively.

_Ah, I can imagine the looks on their faces, _he laughed quietly.

Yet as he was thinking about the questioning eyes that would soon be on him as he met with the school doctor, the blonde grimaced. He was not in the mood for an interrogation.

Sighing, the blonde tried to stand more upright, smiling happily to himself. As he passed by a window though, his grin faltered slightly at the sight. With slightly sunken cheeks and deep eye bags, anyone could quite possible see through his façade. Scowling, he wondered if a female teacher would let him borrow some makeup.

Just the thought of that made him cringe though.

_Yeah,_ he scowled, thinking to himself resentfully, _today was going to be a hell of a long day._

* * *

A/N: Hey guys~ Here's some vague insight on Kise's past haha. Don't worry, I will expand on it...eventually. Don't worry...it's not particularly dark. Anyways, if anyone cares, the epilogue for my other fic, Taki, will be released soon (yes, for real this time). It's nearly complete... after several months of writing, rewriting etc (because I never liked how it turned out). It's probably going to be a two part epilogue though because it's sort of long with a lot of events in it.

In any case, thank you for reading and please feel free to drop a review/comment. Lot of love *hugs*


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